Youth Activism in Peshawar, Pakistan: Negotiating Climate Issues amid Democratic Distrust

Abstract

This study examines climate change awareness and political engagement among university youth in Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, with particular attention to the role of democratic trust and institutional credibility. Using a qualitative research design, data were collected through in-depth interviews with university students to explore how young people understand climate change, the sources that shape their awareness, and the forms of civic and political action they adopt. The findings reveal that climate awareness is largely produced through informal learning spaces such as social media, peer networks, and NGO initiatives, reflecting gaps in formal education and state-led communication. While participants expressed great concern about climate risks, especially following recent floods, they demonstrated limited trust in governmental institutions and perceived environmental policies as largely symbolic. Rather than disengaging entirely, youth redirected their participation toward informal, community-based, and digital forms of climate activism. The study shows that democratic distrust does not result in apathy but reshapes environmental citizenship into decentralized and non-institutional practices. By situating youth climate engagement within a context of weak governance, the study contributes to understanding how young people in Peshawar, Pakistan negotiate agency, responsibility, and political participation under constrained democratic conditions.